Ali On The Run Show

"I love being in the trenches with a good team." Welcome to Ask Ali, a twice-a-month series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, I’m joined by guest host Jay Holder to answer all of your World Athletics Championships-related questions, sent in via Instagram Stories (I’m @aliontherun1). For more about this experience so far in Eugene, OR, check out yesterday's episode. SPONSOR: goodr. Click here and use code ONTHERUN15 for 15% off your entire goodr order! Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon Blog Strava SUPPORT the Ali on the Run Show! If you’re enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Spread the run love. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!

"You said, 'I could never do that.' And that actually made me think that you could do it. Because it made me think about what you do every day, and it just felt like you’d be a natural at that role. So that’s where we’re at." Hi from the Pacific Northwest! I'm coming to you today from Eugene, OR, where I'm working on site as the press conference moderator for the 2022 World Athletics Championships. (How cool is that?!) In this episode, I'm joined by Jay Holder, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Atlanta Track Club, to talk about our respective roles at World Championships and our experiences so far. We talk about how I got this job, what it actually entails, and what the highlights have been so far. We're working hard, getting just enough sleep to get by, and having a lot of fun along the way. (Check out Jay's previous appearances on the Ali on the Run Show, talking about his role at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, and about working as the deputy venue media manager for last summer's

I had the pleasure and privilege of being the start and finish line race announcer at the inaugural WineShine Half Marathon in Napa Valley this past weekend — and bonus! The day before the race, I got to host a live show at the Silverado Resort and Spa with superstar guests Alysia Montaño and Stephanie Howe. We talked a lot about the highs that come with racing (like Stephanie's Western States win, and the time Alysia ran the 800m in the U.S. National Championships at eight months pregnant), and we talk about the tough stuff. The ruts. The losses. The disappointments. Alysia and Stephanie are proof that this sport can make your dreams come true and break your heart a few times along the way. Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon Blog Strava SUPPORT the Ali on the Run Show! If you’re enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Spread the run love. And if you liked this episode, share it with your fr

"Check in on why you’re doing this. It doesn’t have to feel like the biggest 'why' statement of the whole world, like, 'What’s the purpose of life?' But it really does help you to say, 'What’s meaningful about this for me, right now?'" Ali on the Run Show favorite Emily Saul is back! Emily is a licensed mental health counselor, sport psychology coach, and founder of E Saul Movement. She's a former Division-1 collegiate rower, she's a lifelong athlete, she's a many-time marathoner, and she's a TEDxBoston speaker. This conversation kicks off the first of a three-part series within the Beyond the Run series, where we talk about the connection between running and mental wellness. Today, Emily is answering listener questions about the mental side of marathon training. If you're training for a fall marathon, it's likely you started training this month. (Exciting!) So, Emily is here to hold your hand throughout the process. These questions are all about getting into the right headspace to start training. Emily is

"All of a sudden, I was over here, alone, living in a small apartment the size of a dorm room, not having a lot of friends, I didn’t have anything to do. I didn’t have any future that I was looking forward to. I didn’t know what to do with myself except to put on my running shoes and go out and start running." Yuki Chorney is a 39-time marathoner with a 3:15 personal best. She has run 21 ultramarathons, including 100 milers. And she does it all — whether it's a 5K or an all-day event — decked out in glitter, sparkles, and rhinestones. Yuki Chorney is a self-proclaimed "running unicorn," and if you've ever seen her on the run, you know it's hard not to smile when she passes you (which she probably will, with a joyful, genuine smile). At 50 years old, Yuki is finding joy in running more than ever before. In this conversation, she talks about growing up in Japan, moving to the United States, and finding running — and herself — in the process. Today, Yuki lives in Mont Vernon, NH, with her husband, two teenage

"I’m a track athlete and I’m doing full-time something else, and people feel like they can’t do both. But I feel like me and Jasmine, and a few others, are definitely showing that’s possible. I feel like we’re definitely paving our own way in the sport." Jasmine Todd is a professional long jumper and sprinter. Katelyn Hutchison is a 400m runner and three-time All-American who just finished running for Ithaca College, and is now headed to the University of Kentucky to finish out her NCAA eligibility. These two dynamic (and fast!) women just met for the first time three weeks ago — and they are already the best of friends. In this conversation, Jasmine and Katelyn talk about meeting at USATF Outdoor Championships and forming an immediate bond. They talk about their experience in the mixed zone with Citius Mag, interviewing professional athletes, and about what they hope to bring to this sport. They share their best stories from USAs (including getting that coveted Sha'Carri Richardson interview), and talk

"I still don’t know if it was good, but I did my best. And it was the first time where I realized I’m kind of willing to fail at something. I’m not usually. But with this, I was like, 'OK, I’m going to do my best. And it might be a total flop. It might suck. And that’ll be OK! I’ve never done it before!'" Welcome to Ask Ali, a twice-a-month series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, I’m flying through 42 (!!!) randomly selected listener questions, sent in via Instagram Stories (I’m @aliontherun1), about everything from my summer plans (I leave for World Championships tomorrow!), my approach to running right now, balancing work and motherhood, and a surprisingly emotional dive into my favorite Ted Lasso episode. SPONSOR: goodr. Click here and use code ONTHERUN15 for 15% off your entire goodr order! You asked: What are you most looking forward to about this summer? (4:00) What’s the funniest thing that Annie has said? (6:20) Will you bring back the Everyday Runner series? (7:00) Sh

"Just because you’re older doesn’t mean you have to be slower." Some people have obvious superpowers. Others — like professional triathlete Dede Griesbauer — keep their superpowers closer to the chest. Dede recently gave a TEDxBoston talk about her own superpowers: persistence and determination. And in this conversation, she explains how receiving a "Persistence & Determination" award as an 8-year-old at summer camp helped her become the successful athlete she is today. Dede is 51 years old, and has been competing as a professional triathlete for the past 20 years. She started competing at a time when many pros are starting to think about transitioning out of the sport. That's never deterred her, though. Dede doesn't care that her competitors are often half her age. Because she is the one with persistence and determination. And she has the trophy case to show for it: Dede is a three-time Ironman champion, a three-time Top 10 finisher at Ironman Kona, and was the top American finisher in Kona twice. Her

"When it’s race time, we’re competitive. I’m never just going to let Annie win! But it’s also really fun that when the race is over, we get to celebrate together regardless of how it went." Annie Frisbie and Dakotah Lindwurm have a lot in common. They train together as members of Minnesota Distance Elite. They're both sponsored by Puma. And they're both chill, low key, and low profile in their everyday lives — but when it's marathon go time, they unleash their superpowers. This week on Friendship Fest, Annie (a 2:26 marathoner who made her 26.2-mile debut at the New York City Marathon last year) and Dakotah (who just won Grandma's Marathon in a personal best of 2:25) talk about how they met, how they bond during weekend long runs (by refusing to slow down for the boys), and how they find joy in racing. Plus, what's next for each of them. SPONSOR: Tracksmith. Click here and use code ALI22 to get free shipping. Plus, Tracksmith will donate 5% of your purchase proceeds to The Trevor Project. What you’ll

"I’m like, 'Oh this isn’t good! I’m locked inside of my own porta-john, 15 minutes before the start of the most prestigious marathon in the world, that I’ve been working on with everyone else for a year!' And I’m in a porta-john, and no one can hear me. And if I shake it too much, it’s gonna fall over, and that’s not good! Helicopters are circling above us, so you can’t hear very well, so no one’s hearing that I’m locked in the porta-john. So I had a choice…" Dave McGillivray is best known as the longtime race director for the Boston Marathon. (And every year, after fulfilling his race director duties, Dave returns to the start line in Hopkinton, MA, where he runs the marathon himself.) Dave is the president and founder of his own company, DMSE Sports, which is an event management business in Boston that has produced, directed, and consulted on more than 1,600 events around the world. Dave has run more than 165 marathons, he's an Ironman triathlete, and he's a World Marathon Challenge finisher. In this con

"I’m excited to just put myself in it and be a part of it and give myself a chance. I think incredible things happen when you believe in yourself and stay in the here and now and give yourself the chance." On June 11, 2022, Brigham Young University graduate Courtney Wayment Smith made NCAA history. Competing at NCAA Championships, she ran the 3000m steeplechase in 9:16 — not only taking a commanding win, but breaking the collegiate national record (previously held by now-Olympian Courtney Frerichs) in the process. That time also put her at #5 on the all-time U.S. women's steeplechase list, behind Frerichs, Emma Coburn, Colleen Quigley, and Jenny Simpson. To celebrate, Courtney signed with an agent (Ray Flynn) and signed her first professional contract with On! The icing on the cake: Courtney competed at USATF Outdoor Championships this past weekend, where she finished second in the 3000m steeplechase, earning her a spot on Team USA heading into next month's World Athletics Championships. Needless to say,

"This is the first time in so long that I’ve been lining up with teammates, and it makes it so much more special. There’s nothing better than having a teammate who, even if you’re not in the same heat, you’re warming up together. There’s less pressure because you’re doing it together." Allie Wilson and Yolanda Ngarambe are two of the fiercest middle-distance competitors in running right now. But off the track? The Atlanta Track Club Elite teammates are fun, silly, and as giggly as it gets. In this conversation, Allie and Yolanda share the story of how they first met (Allie was running late, Yolanda saved the day) and how their instant bond was formed. We recorded this conversation on Friday morning, June 24, when Allie and Yolanda were both in Eugene, OR, for USATF Outdoor National Championships. Allie had just competed in the 800m prelims the night before and was resting up before the semi-finals that night. (She ultimately advanced to the finals, where she finished fourth in a very exciting race.) And wh

"Don’t berate, educate!" Devon Pass is a runner, a mom to daughter Evie, and a dear friend — and today, she’s a podcast host! On this edition of Ask Ali, returning Ali on the Run Show guest Devon is here to do all the question asking, reading your questions from Instagram (and coming up with a few of her own). It's extra honest, extra fun, and even a little salty! ("I'm only salty behind a paywall." —Ali Feller) SPONSOR: goodr. Click here and use code ONTHERUN15 for 15% off your entire goodr order! Devon asks: Where did you learn to braid? (5:45) What is the best gift you’ve ever been given? (7:00) When was the last time you cried? (9:25) How many people are on your holiday card list? (12:25) Where are you at with your fitness pursuits? (14:55) What are we doing with our hair after summer runs? (22:15) Describe your ideal run (26:00) What do you listen to on the run? (28:15) Do you worry about aging? (34:15) What do you think is the biggest misperception of you? (41:30) Any advice for people in marr

"When I’m happy and feel safe and I’m energized by the people and things around me, that’s when I’m going to run the best." Nikki Hiltz returns to the Ali on the Run Show for the fifth time — with some big news! Nikki is a professional middle-distance runner who is here to talk all about their new sponsor (it's lululemon!), their new coach (Mike Smith!), their new training partners (Rachel Schneider Smith!), their recent move to Flagstaff, and the first-ever in-person Pride 5K (it's happening IRL in Flagstaff in October!). Nikki and I recorded this conversation just a few days after they ran at the Trials of Miles Track Night NYC. That night, Nikki ran a personal best in the 800m, and returned to the track 50 minutes later to finish second in the 1500m. This week, Nikki will be competing at the USATF Outdoor Championships in Eugene, OR. SPONSOR: UCAN — Go to ucan.co/ali and use code ALI for 20% off your next UCAN order. What you’ll get on this episode: On being a 1500m specialist (3:30) Why Nikki de

"You convinced me to come out for a run. And thank god I did. Everything has snowballed from that run." What a treat today to get to welcome two of my favorite friends to Friendship Fest on the Ali on the Run Show! Jess Movold and Conor Nickel are New York City-based run coaches who met one fateful day several years ago at Mile High Run Club, where they were each auditioning to be instructors. Now, they are not only the best of friends, they also continue to work together: Conor is the Chief Operating Officer at The Fortitude Strength Club, which is co-owned by Jess's husband, Kyle, and is where Jess is also a coach. In this conversation, we get to know new-to-the-show Conor — a former runner at the University of Pennsylvania who has worked in the running industry for his entire adult life. (You'll love his stories from working the start line of the New York City Marathon!) And we get an update from fan-favorite Jess, who gave birth to her first baby, a boy very appropriately named Battle, when she was jus

"I loved running. I had the best race of my life and I was so excited. That feeling! You know that feeling? And they took it away from me that day. Anyone should be able to excel at what they love without these roadblocks of discrimination." In 2019, 17-year-old Noor Abukaram ran the best, fastest cross-country race of her life at a local meet in Ohio. But when she checked the results afterward, her name wasn't there. She learned that she had been disqualified before the race even started. For wearing a hijab. Noor — who was raised in a Muslim family and started wearing a traditional head and neck covering as a teenager — shared her story from that day, of being disqualified for rules unbeknownst to her, and it quickly went viral. And so she turned her heartache into advocacy. She founded "Let Noor Run," a campaign to raise awareness about religious-based discrimination in sports and beyond. She successfully helped change the laws and legislation that protect the freedom of religious expression for athle

"I have to trust that I have something I want to say, and just double down on that." Kate Fagan is one of today's most important voices in women's sports. She is the best-selling author of three books — and is best-known in the running community as the author of What Made Maddy Run, about University of Pennsylvania runner Madison Holleran. Kate spent seven years as a columnist and feature writer for ESPN, she was a regular panelist on ESPN's Around the Horn, and she was host of Outside the Lines. Today, she writes for Sports Illustrated, and is co-host of the Off the Looking Glass podcast. In this conversation, we talk about Kate's road to writing greatness, including why she never really wanted to be on TV, the compromises she made to herself along the way, and her time as a Division-1 basketball player struggling with her sexuality and identity while at the University of Colorado Boulder. She talks about the process of writing Split Image, and later writing What Made Maddy Run, and the emotions involved

"Some of my closest friendships are with women I compete against. So when I see them do the things that they’re doing, it truly makes me believe even more in myself in terms of what’s possible for me." Welcome to Friendship Fest, Season 2! This seven-week series is all about celebrating friendship on the run. We'll hear from some of our favorite running buddies — from the pros to the everyday runners — about how they met, the role running plays in their friendship, and what big goals and dreams they share for the future. We're kicking off Season 2 of this series with Boulder-based besties and professional marathoners Laura Thweatt and Emma Bates. They share the story of their first meeting in 2019 ("I decided then and there that Emma Bates was my girl crush," recalls Laura), they talk about how their friendship progressed, and they talk about their time training together as members of Team Boss (which Laura has since left — with Emma's support, of course). Lots of laughter, lots of awwwwws, and lots of i

"I’ve tried to get better at knowing that I can’t be everything to everyone. But I do want this to be a place where anyone who feels like they are a part of the running community can find something that they enjoy or that inspires them or motivates them or makes them feel good or teaches them something." Welcome to Ask Ali, a twice-a-month series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, I'm flying through 37 randomly selected listener questions, sent in via Instagram Stories (I'm @aliontherun1), about everything from house hunting, podcast guest selection, and getting recognized on the run, to staying focused and what a day in the life is like. SPONSOR: goodr. Click here and use code ONTHERUN15 for 15% off your entire goodr order! You asked: Do you get recognized when you’re out and about? (3:00) How do you stay focused when you’re a multi-passionate person? (5:10) Was it hard switching from HOKA to New Balance? (8:45) Has the man from the TED Talk apologized about the Annie situation

"It’s been hard to swallow that there is no miracle. It’s going to take time." It's been nearly one year since Kara Goucher came on the Ali on the Run Show to talk about what it was like being a part of the NBC Sports broadcast team during the Tokyo Olympics. Today, Kara returns with all kinds of updates. In this fun, wide-ranging conversation, Kara talks about how she has gotten more comfortable in her role as an NBC Sports Distance Analyst, and shares her broadcast plans for the summer. She talks about how she's honed her skills, and shares whether she still gets nervous to go live on air. Kara talks candidly about her recent Runner's Dystonia diagnosis, and what that means for her health, her running, and her family. Plus: parenting during difficult times, going through life as a highly sensitive person (same), and the possibility of a Kara Goucher and Des Linden podcast. SPONSOR: UCAN — Go to ucan.co/ali and use code ALI for 20% off your next UCAN order. What you’ll get on this episode: What’s m